Adjustable box.



F. SPITZ. ADJUSTABLE BOX. APPLIOATION FILED JAN.'25, 19,13.

1 ,098, 1 32, Patented May 26, 1914 2 SEEBTSSHEET 1.

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ADJUSTABLE BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN Patented May 26, 1914.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n n 0 n I I u n u u I u [IllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII) r111 U "rn n srx'rns rx'rnn'r FREDERICK srrrz, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

ADJUSTABLE BOX.

provided with interior means for looking it in its various positions so that it may be locked in its smallest dimensions or in any i The cover part of its extended positions. is not necessarily provided with means for locking its two members, but the box as a whole is provided with a strap which extends around it longitudinally and secures the cover to the body part, the body part serving as rigid means to prevent the collapsing of the cover members, and'the strap serving as a means to prevent the accidental extension of the cover part and its accidental disconnection or removal from the body part.

There are other objects andadvantages of the invention which will more clearly appear hereinafter. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the body part and the cover part of the box separated and arranged one above the other; Fig. 2 a perspective view of a telescopic extension strengthening rod which extends longitudinally of the body part;

Fig. 3 a bottom plan view of the cover part, showing the inner side thereof, the two members of said part being extended; Fig. 4 a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the two parts of the box assembled and ex tended; Fig. 5 a transverse vertical sectional view of the box on the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 a longitudinal vertical sectional view Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fi1er1 January 25, 1913.

Patented-May 26, 1914. Serial No. 744,123. 1

end wall 7. The upper edges of the sides 6 are turned inwardly and downwardly to form the hook flanges 8 which extend longitudinally the length of the said side walls and form guide ways which are open at their ends 9.

The member 4 is formed with the bottom 10, the longitudinal side walls 11 and with the outer end wall 12. The bottom 10 rests on the inner surface of the bottom 5 of the member 8, and the upper edges of the side walls 11 fit and slide in the guide ways formed by the inwardly and downwardly turned flanges 8 so that the said member 4: may be slid back and forth into and out of the member 3. The member 4: is substantially of the same length as the member 3 so that thebody part of the box may be collapsed to the dimensions of the member 3 or may be extended longitudinally to practically double the length of the member 3.

To lock the two members of the body part in their adjusted relation the member 8 is provided with a locking strip 13 which is rigidly secured at one end to the bottom of the part 3, its other end extending through a keeper 14 formed on the bottom of the member 4 near the inner open end thereof. The end of the locking member 13 is provided with the laterally enlarged head 15 to prevent said locking member being drawn entirely through the keeper 14', said head serving to limit the extension or separation of the two members 3 and 4. The locking member 13 is provided with perforations spaced aparta suitable distance and a spring 16 is secured to the bottom 10 0f the member 4, said spring being provided with a locking pin 17 which passes through an aperture in thekeeper let and is adapted to fit into any one of the perforations in the extension bar 13. By this means the two members of the body part may be locked in any of their adjusted positions. When it is desired to vary the positions of the two members, the

spring device with itspin 17 is disconnected from the locking member 13'and the two members 3 and 4 adjusted to the desired powith inwardly turned flanges 25 which correspond precisely with the inwardly turned flanges 8 oi the member 3 of the body part, said flanges forming guide ways which are open at their ends 26. The member 21 is formed with the top 27, sides 28 and outer end wall 29; the inner end of said part being open. The edges of the sides 28 fit and slide in the guide ways formed by the flanges 25 and the top part 27 rests on the inner side of the top 22 of the member 20. To limit the extension or separation of the two members 20 and 21, the part 20 is provided with a limiting or stop bar 30 which is secured at one end rigidly to the inner side of the top 22, its other end sliding through a keeper 31 formed on the inner side of the top 27 of the member 21. The free end of the limiting bar 30 is formed with a head 82 which serves as a stop to limit the separating movement of the two members.

It is manifest that when the body part of the box has been adjusted to the desired length and locked in its adjusted position, the cover may be rigidly adjusted to fit said body part and the body part will serve as a means to prevent the collapsing of the cover.

To prevent the accidental extension or removal of the cover it is provided with a securing strap 33 which is passed through a keeper 3-4 on one end thereof and through a keeper 35 on the other end thereof. lVhen the cover is in position over the body part of the box the strap 38 is carried around the box and the ends thereof and buckled together, as shown in Fig. 4. This securely holds the two cover members to the body part of the box and makes a very compact, secure and rigid package. To assist in holding the two members of the body part in ex tended position and to strengthen the box structure, the longitudinally extending telescopic strengthening rod 36 is secured in the body part of the box. One section 36 of this rod is secured to the inner side of the end wall of the member 3, the other section 36" being similarly secured to the end wall of the member at. The section connected to the member t slides into the other section, and both sections are hollow and rectangular in cross section. The section 36 is provided with a spring clip 37 which is provided with a pin 37 which extends inwardly through an aperture in the section 36 and is adapted to fit into any one of a series of apertures 38 formed in section 36 These apertures are spaced apart to correspond to the spaces between the apertures in the bar 13 so that the two sections of the telescopic rod may be locked together whenever the two sections of the body part of the box are locked together by the spring 16. It is mani't'est that this extensible rod will serve to greatly strengthen the body part of the box.

As shown clearly in Fig. 5, two of these bars may be employed if desired, one on each side of the box, this arrangement making the box very substantial and enabling it to resist considerable strain tending to collapse it.

111 Figs. (3 and 7 is shown a slightly modified form of means for locking the two members of the body part in their adjusted positions. As shown in these views, the flange 8 01" member 3 carries a spring 39 to which is attached a pin 40, said pin working inwardly through an aperture in the flange 8 and engaging any one of a series of perform tions 41 in the side of the member 4c. 'By

this means the locking bar 13 is dispensed with and the construction simplified somewhat. In this construction the locking means is near the top of the box and may be readily manipulated without disturbing the contents of the box, when the box is filled.

The members of the box may be formed of any suitable material, but I preferably use what is known as hard fiber. This material is light but very strong and stiff so that a box formed of it is very strong and durable.

What I claim is:

1. An extensible box comprising a body part and a cover part, the body part being formed of two members, one fitting within the other and each of said members being formed with a bottom, two longitudinal sides and one outer end, the inner end of each member being open, inwardly turned flanges formed on the edges of the longitudinal sides of the outer member, the free edges of the longitudinal sides of the inner member fitting in the inwardly turned flanges of the outer member, interlocking means carried by the two members to lock them in their adjusted positions, and the cover part consisting of two longitudinally extensible members one sliding within the other, each of said members being formed with a bottom, two longitudinal sides, and one outer end, the sides and the ends fitting over and receiving the corresponding sides and ends of the body part and telescoping therewith, inwardly turned flanges formed on the longitudinal sides of the outer member of the cover, said flanges forming guide-ways to receive the free edges of the longitudinal sides of the inner member of the cover.

2. An extensible box comprising a body part and a cover part, the body part consisting of two longitudinally extensible members, one sliding within the other, the cover part consisting of two similarly constructed longitudinally extensible members, one fitting within the other, the members of the cover part having sides and ends adapted to telescope over the sides and ends of the body part, whereby the box is extensible in height as well as in length, and means for locking the members of one of said parts in their adjusted positions and a securing band adapted to be passed longitudinally around the cover and body part.

3. An extensible box comprising a body part and a cover part, the body part consisting of two members of substantially equal dimensions, one fitting within the other, the outer member being formed with inwardly turned flanges which form guide-ways for the upper edges of the sides of the inner member, the cover part consisting of two members of substantially equal dimensions fitting one within the other and extensible longitudinally, the cover part fitting over and receiving the body part, whereby the box is extensible in two directions, the edges of the longitudinal sides of the outer member being turned inwardly to form guide flanges for the edges of the longitudinal sides of the inner member.

4. An extensible box comprising a coverpart and a body part, the body part consisting of two members of substantially equal dimensions, one sliding within the other, inwardly extending means carried by the outer member to form guides for the edges of the sides of the inner member, the cover part consisting of two members of substantially equal dimensions, one sliding longitudinally within the other, the cover fitting over and inclosing the body part whereby the box is extensible in two directions and inwardly extending means carried by the outer member to form guide-ways for the edges of the sides of the inner member.

5. An extensible box comprising a body part and a cover part, the body part consisting of two extensible members one sliding within the other, the cover part consisting of two similarly constructed extensible members, one fitting within the other, the cover part fitting over and inclosing the body part and having sides substantially equal in dimensions to the sides of the body part, whereby the box is extensible in two directions, an extensible strengthening rod connected to the two members of the body part, and means for rigidly locking said strengthening bar in its adjusted positions.

6. An extensible box comprising a body part and a cover part, the body part consisting of two extensible members one sliding wthin the other, the cover part consisting of two similarly constructed extensible members one fitting within the other, the cover part receiving and inclosing the body part and having sides substantially equal in dimensions to the sides of the body part, whereby the box will be extensible in two directions, inwardly turned flanges formed on the edges of the sides of the outer member of the body part, said flanges forming guide-ways for the edges of the sides of the other member of the body part, inwardly extending flanges formed on the outer member of the cover part, said flanges forming guide-ways for the sides of the other member of the cover art.

p In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK SPITZ.

lVitnesses:

LILLIAN MCGUIRE, F. R. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

